WRATH OF MUSSOLINI

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 78, 12 January 1928, Page 3

WRATH OF MUSSOLINI

AROUSED BY SWEDISH PAPER. It is well known that Mussolini lias his hand on the throttle as far as the nee expression of opinions of the Italian Press is concerned, but perhaps it is noffc generally known that the Italian Premier is eageerly scanning the horizon to find out what newspapers in other countries are saying about his person and his policies, writes Peter Gulbrarudsen in the "San Francisco Chronicle." He is even going so far as to prosecute foreign editors who criticise him. The latest evidence of tins new nr»cedure of Benito Mussolini comes from Sweden, where a labour editor, Graveson, in the city of Malmo, has been piosecuted by the Swedish Government on the request of the dictator in i Rome. The labour paper "Arbetet" ("The Work") has recently expressed its opinions with regard to Mussolini's rule. Its criticism has not been wrapped up in cotton wool. The editor has xued hard terms in describing Mussolini's personality and methods. The Malmo articles, which aroused the Government m Rome, appeared in | ''A rbetet'' 20th January, 4th May, and 17th May of this year. The Italian Em-' bas-sy in Stockholm; translated the j articles and sent them to Mussolini. Immediately the Government of Italy j asked the Swedish Cabinet to take' ac' ion. There is a law in Sweden that makes j ifc. a criminal offence to speak in disparaging terms of the heads of foreign Governments, and Mussolini asked Stockholm to make the law effective in this case. The editor may have to tro to prison for Ins vie as about present-day Italy. The Scandinavian Press unanimously resents the role as censors of the foreign Press in which the Italian Cabinet Ministers have clothed themselves. All the Italian Ambassadors abroad have recently received strict orders from Mussolini to keep a careful watch of the newspapers and immediately report to Rome if any paper dares to soeak about Italy and its master in disparaging terms. "This docs happen occasion ally," says a large Copenhagen I newspaper.